BY KEVIN IMRIE

In the world of recruitment there are nuggets of advice that we find ourselves sharing every single day. Some of this is so simple that it borders on inane (make sure you wore a good suit, show up on time and send a thank you email when you're finished) but some have proven time and time again to change the way that people view the interview process and provide measurable results.

This is the latter.

Straight from my desk to yours, here are three of the most important points that I coach my candidates on before every interview that have proven to not only change the way that people look at the hiring process but get them better results when integrated them into their interview style.

1. You prove that you have (or can easily achieve) the functional experience to do the job

Managers need you to perform in order to hit their bonuses and make the goals set down by senior leadership. Showing a manager directly, through your own experience, learning and success that you can help a manager achieve those goals is paramount. Specifically, candidates should know their numbers and be comfortable relating them. Just as important, they need to relate their experience to the specific position they are interviewing for. I also advise that they do a skill gap analysis to understand what they don't or can't yet know about the job so they can be comfortable if that is brought up in the interview and have a coherent and easily implemented plan to overcome that gap.

2. You are a cultural fit for the company

Candidates can help their chances in any interview by being well prepared, well dressed and bringing a positive attitude. People buy from people they like, and they tend to hire them as well. Candidates must understand the work environment they are going into and effectively select information during the interview that aligns with the values of the hiring managers.

3. This is a logical step in your career

A primary concern with a lot of my clients is whether or not the candidate is going to stay in the role. Candidates should communicate exactly why they want this job, how it will help them meet career and life goals, and communicate that effectively. Good candidates can show why they view this as a logical next step and make sure they have an effective story that speaks specifically to this position and why they are interviewing here over other, similar, companies.

In the coming weeks I'm going be providing a few more pieces of interview prep advice that I know bring results. Watch this space for details on how to structure the perfect interview answer which will be the next piece in this series.

If you have any questions on what exactly a skill gap analysis is or want some additional insight into the points above be sure to comment below and I'll be more than happy to help in any way I can.